Terminal block



Nov. 13, 1928. 8 l 1,691,088 A. L. STARKE TERMINAL BLOCK Filed Jan. 3, 1927 50 JZ /J6 i A /Z 30 Ilml f/l/ C if ""6" 118111125 24 I Y .L P vn um.; 1:?

ATTORNEY v @QJ/@MM 76 y Patented fNov. r13, 1928.`

, -UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST L. sTARxE, or BROOKHAVEN, NEW YORK, AssiGNoR rro iNsULATION MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, LINC., A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

TERMINAL BLOCK.

e Applicationk filed January 3, 1927.' ,Serial No. 158,620.

This invention relates to an improved terminalblock, more`pa`rticiilarly to a terininal block .in which a number of terminals or bus jbars are mounted and insulated from each other. The invention also relatesto an improved terminal ,or connectorwfor terminal blocks andsimilar devices. An objecty of thel present invention is .to yprovide cases or blocks of the abovey mentioned type having theirends so yformed that the end'of one-block may be fitted into the, end of an adjacent block and the blocks kthus be unitedin `a singlegunitary structure.

Another, object of the invention is to pro- Vide a bus bar orterminal plate for ymountingl onaterminal block or terminal case of the above indicated type, or on other' blocks of insulating material, so that lead Wires mayvbejquickl .attached yto and detached ,from said bus ar or terminals. I

Further objects and `features of theinveni tionare to provide a block of a compact str ucture and of a. simple and cheap construction and also to provideta terminal block having vaisk :partitions so-arranged as to thoroughly pro tect the terminals or bnsbars-regardless of the exposure `of the block and at ythesame time, to enable a marking strip to be placed in closeposition to each terminal plate or bus bar Without 'obscuring itl from view. f y f With these and other objects inr view, which will 4be-more fullyset forth in the following description, the invention comprises the -terminal block and terminals described in the 'following specification andv claims:

' The lvarious features 'of the invention .are

' fFig. 2 is -a front- Viewl illustrated`r inthe Laccompanying drawings in which:`

Fig.;1, isa'side view, partly inisection, of a series ofL terminal blocks embodying iny present invention'v arranged end tocnd to 0 rma unitary structure, l

of a terminal block .shown in Fig. ,1,

Fig. 3` isa rear viewpf n i iheiimliniai bloei;

Shown in Fig-2,

Fi 4 is a cross-sectional Vview of the terminalb ook taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1,

a terminal block of any desired g 0b Fign isla sideviewofja modifiedfform terminal block, and, f y Y y F Y Fig. 6 is a front view lof the upperportion ofthe terminalblock shownk in Fig. 5.

, .Referring 'to' the accompanyingI `drawings ength may' be formed of a numberof connected sectionsd vmay be providedffor the blocks.

- simplicity and their the bottom of the groove 10, one at a short distance from Veach side edge of the groove. Thesestuds are preferably secured by being molded into the body of insulating material vcomprises a strip of metal 1 lyfrom ythe back 14. These grooves may be formed inthe bloclv at an acute angle, tothe front face of the block as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3 so that the partitions 14 will overhang the grooves, and so that the upper faces of rthe partitions will be more exposed to View; or the grooves may be formed at a right angle tothe frontI face of the block so that the partitions 14 will project forwardly vat a; right angle to the back plate 12. The terminal plates or bus bars are mounted in the bottoms of the grooves lOso that the partitions 14 provide an extended insulating surface between the metal parts of the bus bars or terminals.

Any desired type of terminaly or bus bar However, bus bars or terminals described in the present specification are preferred because of their ,ease in mounting on the blocks and the facility they provide for rapidly and easily'v securing4 andfdetaching terminal wires therefrom. The lead Wire securing meansgfor these bus bars each com prises a pairof studs 16 and -18 mounted in and project slightly therefrom. Ther bus bar 2O having a depresportion and-forming a 26 extending past the sion Q2 at its middle pair of wings 24 and studs 16 and 18 and having openings through Whichsaid studs project. The studs 16 and 18 are provided With openings 28 and 30, respectively, through which the stripped ends lof lead wiresl 32 and 34, respectively, maybe inserted.

yThegterminal plate 20 is secured at' its central depressed portion by means of ay screw 36,threaded into the baci( portion 12 of the insulating block, and the wings 24 and Y 26 ofthe terminalplates are so formed and positioned that they normally stand outwardplate 12 beyond the openings 28 and 30 of the studs 16 and 18; In inserting .f a Wire-32 or'34, the wing 24er 26 is pressed downwardlyftovvard the plate 12, the Wire k32 y or .3 4 thrust through the opening E28 orti() and 'thawing-QG released, whereupon it Will clamp f a portion of the wire against the outer edges ot the openings in the studs and thus hold the wires and iirmly grip them to the plates 20, and through the studs 16 and 18, directly to the terminal'bloclr itself. To more certainly secure the wires trom being pulled loose, the portion extending through the opening 2S or may be bent or hinlred so that it will be more diiiicult to pull them out of the openings 2S and 30 respectively. This manner of securing lead wires to the terminal plate offers the advantage that the wires are always tightly gripped to the terminal blocks, which is not always the case when binding screws are depended upon. lt also provides a much more convenient means of securing the wires to the terminal plates. The wings2ll and 26 may be depressed or grooved slightly as shown at 38, in Fig. 5. y f

j The ends of the terminal blocksV are so formed that a number of blocks may be connected end to end in a compact unitary structure. For this purpose each block is provided at one end with a pair of spaced rectangular ears Ll() and 42, the outer edges ot which are in alignment with the longitudinal edges ot' the block and the inner edges ot which are spaced to leave a rectangular depression between them. The ears Ll0 and 42 are oi approximately the same thickness of the back plate l2. Each of the ears 40 and 42 is provided with an opening 4% or 46 respectively, through which a screw may be passed to secure the ears when these ears are not covered by overlapping portions of an adjacent bloch. The opposite end of the block isprovided with a pair orn rectangular notches 48 and 50, one at each lower corner of the block. These notches are of substantially the same dimensions as the ears st() and 4t2 so that' when the blocks are arranged end to end, the ears ot' one block willtit into and till the notches of an adjacent block. Y

In this arrangement a projecting tongue 52 is left between the rectangular notches 48 and 50, and there is also provided an overlapping ledge 54 which also covers the upper edges of the ears Ll() and 42 of an adjacentblock. An opening 56 is formed in the tongue 52and at its outer end is countersunlr at 58, to receive the head of a screw 59 which may be passed through the opening 56 to secure one end ot' the block` to a supporting surface. Then a number ot' bloclrsarel thus securedthe tongue 52 and overlapping edge 54 of one block being thus secured by a screw passing through the opening 56, will serve to hold and retainin position the projecting tongues Zl() and 4t2 ot an adjacent block so that this end oi' the adjacent block does not require further securing means. f l

In the :torm of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the indicating marks as for eX- ample numerals 7 and 8, might be placed directly on the terminals or bus bars themselves whereas in the form of block shown in Figs. l to 3 and having inclined partition walls, the indication for a terminal plate may be placed on a strip of markingmaterial 60, mounted on the upper projecting face of the partition immediately beneath the terminal plate. and 26 of the bus bars are sprung outwardly from the bottom of' the grooves l0, they contact with the block only at their central portions. As the studs 16 and 18 are set inwardly1 from the edges of the grooves, the grooves may be made narrow and little, if any broader than the lengths of the terminal plates or bus-bars themselves Without danger of providing a short path over the surface of the block between adjacent terminals. By thus making the terminal blocks narrow the partitions do not require any bracing, and the construction of the block and its associated terminals may be greatly simplied and cheapened.

As changes of construction could be made within the scope of my invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A terminal block which comprises a body of insulating material having Grooves in its forward surface to form a back-,k and a series of spaced horizontal partitions projecting forwardly therefrom, and a series of terminal plates one in the bottom of each of said grooves between said partitions and removably secured between its endsto the bottom of said groove, and binding means embedded in the block at the bottomo'f said groove and having a removable connection to said terminal plate.

2.Y A terminal block formed of a body oi insulating material having horizontal grooves in its front portion to form a back plate and a series of spaced horizontal partitions projecting horizontally therefrom, said block having a pair of spaced ears projecting lengthwise from one end of said back plate, the opposite end of said block having rectangular notches in its lower corners so that when a series of blocks are arranged end to end, the ears of one block will {itinto the notches of and be overlappedand held in position by the adjacent block, `and screw openings in said tongue and ears.

3. A' terminal block which comprises a body of insulating material having horizontal grooves in its front ortion to form a. back plate and a series o vertically spaced horizontal partitions projecting forwardly therefrom, said partitions being ysloped downwardly, said block having a pair of spaced ears projecting lengthwise from one end of Inasmuch as the wings 24A plate said back plate, the opposite end ofy said' block having rectangular notches in its lower i embedded insaid plate and projecting therefrom one pair at the bottom of each groove, the projecting portions of said studs having horizontal openings therethrough, and terminal plates one in each groove and havingv a depressed central securing portion between said studs and having side wing portlons projecting past said studs and having openings through which said studs project when said wings are depressed toward the bottom of said groove.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiixy my signature.

yAUGUST L. STARKE. i 

